A unique childrens' entertainment show comes toTheatre Memphis in July 2014. Randall Hartzog, Theatre Memphis, Director of Marketing and Communications issued the following information about the performances.

'Front Porch Fairy Tales will be performed July 14 – 20 at Theatre Memphis, culminating the Summer Teen Performance Workshop for 2014. An original work by Theatre Memphis Director of Outreach and Education Leslie Barker, Front Porch Fairy Tales will be open to the public and will include musical introductions at each show from a variety of acts. Show times are 11:30 am on July 14 – 18, a second show at 7pm on July 18 and 2pm performances July 19 and 20, 2014. Admission is $5 per child and $8 per adult. Tickets may be purchased at the Theatre Memphis box office in advance and by calling 901.682.8323 or at the door. More information is available at www.theatrememphis.org.

Barker, who also directed the show, says that the experience is like listening to “… some Southern fried stories” and will be fun for children and adults to watch. The characters will be hanging out on a front porch, sipping some lemonade and sweet tea and spouting off some outlandish, distinctively Southern tales with characters such as Butter Bean, Britches, Crazy Ernie, and Black-Eyed Susan. Barker adds, “It’s a whole mess of cornpone summer fun where daffodils giggle and catfish jump over the moon. And the stories are 100% Memphis-based.”

Part of the unique experience of Front Porch Fairy Tales will be special lead-in music and for some shows a lead-in live musical act that will appeal to all ages. Currently scheduled acts are PRIZM who will perform chamber music on Friday night and the banjo/washboard vintage music group The Side Street Steppers will play Saturday afternoon. Players pending confirmation on actual dates include the 11-year-old, guitar-wielding Davis Twins and a ukulele class performing some common favorites.

Theatre Memphis Executive Producer Debbie Litch feels that this type of offering is relevant to the outreach and education programs Theatre Memphis is involved in now. “It is about entertaining and teaching … and collaboration with other arts groups and artists. This is such a unique opportunity for our Teen Workshop to perform this original work and for so many talented people to be showcased.'

Theatre Memphis is located at 630 Perkins Ext, Memphis, Tennessee 38117. Run dates and times for these shows are July 14 – 18, 2014 @ 11:30am, July 18, 2014 @ 7pm, July 19 and 20, 2014 @ 2pm. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for children.

Continue to watch for Examiner articles and events by Gerry Glenn Jones that cover the performing arts in the Memphis metropolitan area, as well as surrounding venues. Click on the subscribe link near the top of this page, and you will be notified by email each time a new article is published. Also, remember they are free. Please share this information with friends and family, and "Let's support the Memphis Metropolitan Performing Arts."

Share this article

Gerry Glenn Jones, is an actor and writer. He began these careers after ending his first career, which was in law enforcement. In the beginning of his acting career, Gerry Glenn was drawn to the stage, but also loved all the other aspects of performing arts, and decided to write about them here in the Memphis Performing Arts section of the Examiner. His goal is to provide readers with information about events in and around Memphis, Tennessee. He also strives to help actors and groups receive national attention.